Slow Cooker Balsamic Pot Roast with Cranberry Sauce

Slow Cooker Balsamic Pot Roast with Cranberry Sauce is tender, flavorful and will melt in your mouth. This roast is the perfect addition to your holidays along with a drizzle of fresh cranberry sauce.

SLOW COOKER BALSAMIC POT ROAST WITH CRANBERRY SAUCE

Tis the season to roast and toast!

I don’t know about you, but nothing comforts me more this time of year than a tender, melt in your mouth pot roast. Not only is it delicious, it is easy to make in the slow cooker and feeds a crowd. This Slow Cooker Balsamic Pot Roast with Cranberry Sauce pairs savory balsamic vinegar with the beef and then drizzles a homemade cranberry sauce over top of the beef. The Ohio Beef Council and I are here to help you make the perfect roast for your holiday celebration, and pair it with the wine that compliments it best.

As you plan out your holiday menu, keep in mind that beef and wine pair together nicely. Beef’s profound meaty, complex, rich flavor is complemented by a beverage that’s equally complex, savory and rich. Pot Roast and ribs pair well with medium red wines, like Merlot, Zinfandel and Cabernet Franc. When I made this Slow Cooker Balsamic Pot Roast with Cranberry Sauce I paired it with a Cabernet Franc, and absolutely loved them together.

IS BEEF A HEALTHY CHOICE?

This is a great question and one I hear a lot from my family and friends. As a matter of fact, this holiday season, thousands of families across Ohio will buy beef. Ohioans spend $4.1 billion each year on beef, which is a healthy, high-quality protein choice.

You will be happy to hear that a one 3 oz. serving of beef provides 50 percent of your recommended daily value of protein. Aside from being a great source of protein, beef provides 10 essential nutrients in a small package. You would have to eat 8 ounces of chicken breast to get the same amount of iron as 3 ounces of beef.

Lean beef is an important part of a healthy diet for kids. Research shows that enjoying lean beef daily can help lower cholesterol levels. The protein in beef helps build muscle and strong bodies, and exercise is more effective when paired with a high-protein diet.

HOW ARE BEEF CATTLE RAISED IN OHIO?

I had the privilege of visiting beef farms in Ohio with the Ohio Beef Council. I learned that although many believe that industrial farming has taken the place of family farms and ranches, 98 percent of beef farms are family-owned and operated. Ohio beef farmers are committed to providing excellent care for their animals, protecting the environment for future generations and producing safe, healthy beef. U.S. beef farmers have improved sustainability by five percent in the past six years to help feed a growing world population.

The Ohio beef community includes more than just farmers! Small business owners, community leaders, animal caretakers, nutritionists and environmentalists are all dedicated to producing safe, wholesome, nutritious beef.

Ohio beef farmers have a passion for working together and making new memories while they care for their cattle and the land. Meet the Grimes family in this short video and learn how the beef farmers from Hillsboro, Ohio work hard to innovate and stay up to date with the latest farming technology.

HOW DO YOU COOK A ROAST?

When it comes to roasting, some of the best cuts for oven roasting include: Strip Roast, Ribeye Roast and Tenderloin Roast.

When cooking, place roast, directly from the refrigerator, fat side up, on rack in a shallow roasting pan. The exception is the Rib Roast – the ribs form a natural rack.

It’s helpful to follow cooking guidelines when preparing a roast. When roasting larger cuts, an ovenproof meat thermometer that stays in the roast while cooking is preferable to an instant-read thermometer. This helps you avoid opening the oven unnecessarily and poking multiple holes in the roast and losing those delicious juices.

Once the roast is removed from the oven, transfer it to a carving tray or cutting board, then cover it loosely with aluminum foil (this is called tenting) and let it rest awhile. Larger roasts need more time to rest, often up to 15–20 minutes.

Slow Cooker Balsamic Pot Roast with Cranberry Sauce

Remove 1 cup of the liquid and bring to a boil in a medium pot. In a mason jar shake to combine 1 Tablespoon cornstarch and 1/4 cup of cold water. Add the liquid to the pot. Return the gravy to a boil and stir for two minutes. Remove from the heat and let sit to thicken up. This can serve as a gravy for those that want it.

Prep Time15 minutes

Cook Time8 hours

Total Time8 hours15 minutes

Ingredients

For the pot roast

2 Tablespoons olive oil

1 - 3 to 4 pounds chuck roast, trimmed of excess fat

1 sweet onion, chopped into 2 inch pieces

4 carrots, peeled and cut into 2 inch pieces

5 cloves of garlic, minced

1 cup of beef broth

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

1 Tablespoon soy sauce

1 Tablespoon brown sugar

1 teaspoon dried thyme

1 Tablespoon fresh rosemary

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon black pepper

Fresh parsley and rosemary for garnish

1 - 12 ounce of fresh cranberries

1 cup water

3/4 cup sugar

2 Tablespoons orange juice

Instructions

For the pot roast:

In a large skillet heat the olive oil over high heat. Sprinkle salt and pepper on both sides of the roast. Sear the roast on all sides, until browned {about 4-5 minutes per side}. Transfer to a slow cooker.

Cook on high setting for 4-5 hours, or low for 6-8 hours {until the meat is tender}.

Serve warm with fresh parsley and rosemary and the cranberry sauce drizzled on top.

For the cranberry sauce:

In a large pot bring 1 cup water and 3/4 cup sugar to a boil. Boil until the sugar is dissolved about 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the 12- ounce bag of fresh or frozen cranberries and the orange juice. Simmer on low, stirring occasionally, until the the cranberries are soft and burst. Remove from heat and let sit for 5 minutes to thicken. Serve alongside the pot roast.

Slice beef. Garnish with parsley, drizzle over the gravy and sprinkle with black cracked pepper to serve! ENJOY!

Notes

You can feel free to add potatoes {chunks or baby potatoes} with your pot roast in the slow cooker.

If you would like to make gravy follow these instructions you will use 1 cup of the juice from the slow cooker, Tablespoon corn starch and 1/4 cup cold water. Remove 1 cup of the liquid from the slow cooker and bring to a boil in a medium pot. In a mason jar shake to combine 1 Tablespoon cornstarch and 1/4 cup of cold water. Add the liquid to the pot. Return the gravy to a boil and stir for two minutes. Remove from the heat and let sit to thicken up. This can serve as a gravy for those that want it.

Meet Julia

I'm Julia. Wife, mom to three growing boys, lover of food. Here you will find quick & easy weeknight meal ideas, kid-friendly recipes and a few sweet treats. My roots are from the Mediterranean and many of my recipes incorporate those flavors!

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I'm Julia. Wife, mom to three growing boys, lover of food. Here you will find quick & easy weeknight meal ideas, kid-friendly recipes and a few sweet treats. My roots are from the Mediterranean and many of my recipes incorporate those flavors! Read More…